SK Oceanplant Cuts Steel for S.Korea’s Second FFX Batch-III Frigate

South Korea’s SK Oceanplant cut steel for the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy’s second FFX Batch-III frigate.

The contract for the second ship was awarded to the company in December 2021.

SK Oceanplant also announced its detailed plan to hold the keel laying ceremony for this vessel on April 1st, 2024, with the launch scheduled for the end of November of the same year. Following the launch, from May 2025 to June 2026, the vessel will undergo a sea trial campaign before finally being delivered to the RoK Navy.

The company is also building third and fourth ships of the FFX Batch-III. These third and fourth ships are scheduled to be delivered with a six-month interval after the delivery of the second ship. The third ship is set to be delivered on December 31, 2026, and the fourth ship will be handed over on June 30, 2027.

The FFX Batch-III frigate, also known as the Ulsan-class, has a displacement of 4,300 tons at full load, a length of 129m, and a width of 14.8m. It is equipped with various advanced weaponry, including a 5-inch main gun, CIWS-II, a 16-cell KVLS (K-SAAM) system, eight angled launchers for C-Star and Tactical Surface Launch Missile (TSLM, also known as Sea Dragon), as well as 324mm torpedo launchers for the Blue Shark torpedo. For improved detection capabilities, the FFX Batch-III is equipped with an Integrated MAST that utilizes an S-band AESA radar to detect enemy aircraft and missiles.

The FFX Batch-III uses a hybrid propulsion system that incorporates a medium-low-speed electric propulsion engine and a high-speed gas turbine propulsion engine, which is similarly seen in the latest ROK Navy vessels such as Jeongjo the Great of the KDX-III Batch-II. When operating at low speeds, the electric propulsion system allows the vessel to reduce its noise level, enabling it to evade detection from enemy submarines. Conversely, when high-speed navigation is required, the gas turbine engine empowers the vessel to achieve rapid movement and enhance its operational capabilities.